Electric plug



G. OLSON Aug. 28, 1934.

ELECTRIC PLUG Filed Dec. 12, 1931 Patented Aug. 1934 I A .1 ,911,61s A PATENT OFFICE I 1 Q IT D'STATES My inventionisan electric plug, designed to removably cooperate ,with an electricsocket.

My main. object is toprovide an electric plug which secures an immediate contact, and maintainsa-perfectzcontact.

Another object is a plugwhich has a pair of contact members, each. of said contact members having two prongs to contact with an electric contact in a socket. A further object is the provision of a simple plug adapted to operate in any standard type of electrical socket. A further obiect is the provision in a plug of 1 contact elements having means wherein each elell ment of the plug forming a contacting means doubles its contact with the socket contact as it proceeds to a complete seating.

Another object is the provision of split contact members whereby the split portions cooperate re- I0 siliently to maintain an automatic pressure contact with the socket contact.

A further object is the provision 0! an electric plug wherein the points of entry 01' each contact element are aligned normally and form a perfect contact the instant of contact with the metal con- 9 the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of my device, in closed combination with a socket.

Fig. 2 is a side view of my plug shown in Fig. 1, without the socket.

Fig.'3 is a bottom view of my plug, as shown in 46 Figs. 1 and 2.

As illustrated, 5 is the body or housing of a socket, but the said socket is no claimed part of my invention. 6 are the contact points in the socket 5, which illustrates a standard type of electrical socket. '7 is a preferred form of plug housing comprising an insulated body with a central aperture for the passage therethroughof electrical wires. There is no' claim for this specific form, it being a preferable form; but my inven- 59 tion is not dependent upon the specific form of the plug housing.

In said plug housing 7 is an annular ledge upon which are seated connectors 8, to which ledge they are attached. I provide a pair of connectors or contactors 8 in opposed relation around .from a position substantially at right angles upwardly from the base of each member 8 I provide,

in tandem, longitudinally split prongs, the two split prongs of each member 8 curved in oppoud relation forming a loop, the said individual .prongs 66 adapted to ireely pass each other when constrained laterally; the prongs 11 and 12 of one contact member and 13 and'14 of another being aligned at their ends when free, as shown in Fig.

3. The prongs l1 and 12 of one pair and 13 and I0 14 of the other pair each have a certain amount of resiliency in themselves, also by reason of their relation to the base of each contactor 8.

It will be observed that as the contactor prong ends of each contact member 8-such as 11a and 12a of one and 13a and 14a of the other-enter an aperture in a socket they tend immediately to locate themselves at a center of the socket aperture, for instance, as the body of prong 14 strikes the inner wall of the channel it immediso ately forces prong end 14a into contact with the contact element 8 in the socket and any continued straightening of the prong 14 by constriction increases the close impact of the prong end 14a on the element 6, while simultaneously the body a; of 13 striking the socket contact element 6 forces the prong end 13a against the wall of the socket; and progressive movement increases and intensihes the contact, thus providing a perfect contact of each of the prongs of a unit contactor 8 with no the element 6 in the socket; and as the plug is pushed home to its full seating this double contact becomes more positive and stable. There is a resilient play of the prongs of each unit and at the same time there is a co-active resilient play be- 'tween the units maintaining a firm. sustained,

positive, resilient relation in and to the socket. It will also be plainly observable that as the plug is removed from the socket these yielding opposed loop prongs return to their normal position ready for a subsequent insertion.

I do not mean to limit myself to the forms as shown, except insofar as I am limited by the scope of my claims. i

1. An electric plug comprising an insulated housing and a plurality of contact elements, each contact element having a plurality of resilient prongs in tandem, the adjacent prongs being bowed with relation to each other forming a substantial loop. no

2. A plug for electrical transmission comprising a housing and contact elements, eachcontact element consisting of a base with an upstanding portion split longitudinally into two blades each curved in an opposite direction, together forming an elongated loop, their ends normally aligned in tandem when free, each split portion being adapted to have sustained contact with a single electrical contact element.

3. A plug for electrical connection comprising two contact elements seated in an insulated housing, the contact elements each having its contact portion split longitudinally, each adjacent split portion curved oppositely to form substantial loops, their ends aligned in tandem when free, each split portion adapted to have resilient pressure contact with an electric circuit contact member in a socket.

4. An electric plug comprising a plurality of metal contactors seated within an insulated housing and having means of attachment to electrical sources, the projecting portions of each metal contactor being flat and split longitudinally, normally resilient, the ends aligned in tandem when free, the flat longitudinal extent or each split portion being curved in a direction opposed to its adjacent split portion forming a loop and adapted to automatically exert a sustained pressure contact whenconstricted laterally.

5. An electric plug comprising a housing with a plurality of contact members seated therein and projecting therefrom; the projecting portions of each individual contact member being flat and longitudinally split from the base, the split blades in tandem, the ends of the tandem blades being in alignment when free, the blades of each contact element being curved to form-An combinationthe sides of a loop and adapted to co-act when constrained laterally to secure and sustain tensional contact of each blade with a single contact member of a socket. r

6. In an electric plug a plurality of contacting members seated within a housing and having their contact portions projecting outwardly therefrom; each of said contact portions being formed from an elongated extension split longitudinally, the split parts in tandem, each split part curved opposite to its adjacent split part, forming a loop and adapted to co-act tensionally when constrained laterally, and be capable of automatically resuming their initial positions on release from the constraint.

GUNNER OLSON. 

